Step 4: Put it together

Step 5: Finish it up

Now put the 10" piece of pipe inside the 9" piece so it stands up. The light should come with chain to hang it up. Loop it around the pipe so it hangs...

So I plant a large garden each year, and the last couple of years I've started from seeds. There are several reasons to start your veggie and flower plants from seed:

1. There is a MUCH larger variety of plants and veggies by going with seeds.
2. It's much cheaper over time. You can usually buy 30 or more seeds for less than the cost of one plant.
3. It's fun.
4. It's an excuse to think about spring while there's still frost on the ground.
5. Did I say it's fun?

This isn't an instructable on starting seeds (althouh I should do one), but rather how to build a choose a grow light and build a stand. You can use this to grow indoor plants that need a lot of light year round, or do what I do and use it to get your garden plants like tomatos and peppers a head start. Now, if you are using it to start plants, you'll want to make this adjustable. The reason for this is you want to keep the lamp very close to the plant. Ideally you'll keep the bulbs an inch or two above the top of the plant, and move the light up as the plants grow. A SOUTH FACING WINDOW IS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT FOR MOST ANNUAL PLANTS!!!!!

This is a very cheap setup, but it will work for years. The stand itself cost me about $8.00, and the fluorescent light will run you about $20.